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Media Bulletin - Manitoba

MANITOBA PRODUCERS REMINDED OF IMPORTANT APPLICATION DEADLINES AT END OF MONTH

Manitoba Agriculture reminds producers of the March 31 deadline for forage insurance, other AgriInsurance programs and the Farmland School Tax Rebate.

Forage insurance is part of a comprehensive suite of business risk management products provided through AgriInsurance and administered by the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC).

Producers can choose between basic hay and select hay insurance depending on what works best for their farm. Basic hay insurance provides lower-cost, whole-farm coverage that protects producers from a production shortfall. Select hay insurance provides more comprehensive and individualized protection, with no offsetting between hay types, and production and quality losses are covered for alfalfa, alfalfa grass mixtures, tame grasses, sweet clover and coarse hay.

Producers participating in either program are also automatically eligible for a forage restoration benefit ($80 per acre), which provides compensation when insured hay or forage seed crops are damaged by excess moisture or flooding and need to be re-established. Insured hay acres are also eligible for the hay disaster benefit, which helps offset increased hay prices and transportation costs if there is a severe provincewide forage shortage. Several other forage-related insurance options are available to meet the needs of producers.

AgriInsurance is the first line of defence when it comes to managing risk due to unpredictable perils such as excess moisture or flooding, protecting more than 70 crops grown by Manitoba producers. March 31 is also the last day to apply for AgriInsurance, or to change coverage levels and crop selections.

Producers must also submit their applications for the Farmland School Tax Rebate to MASC by March 31. Eligible landowners can receive an 80 per cent rebate, up to a maximum of $5,000, on education taxes paid on farmland in 2016.

Producers should contact their local MASC office or visit www.masc.mb.ca for more information about AgriInsurance including forage insurance and the Farmland School Tax Rebate. Applications must be received by MASC by the March 31 deadline.